Ficha Uchi: Covering up one child at a time

For pupils, break time is a time to put away the books and run off to play with friends, perhaps eat a snack and share in some mischief.  However, for some children, recess is a dreadful time. They cannot afford to go outside to play with their friends.

Class time is no fun either. It offers no respite for them as they cannot stand to answer a teacher's question or walk to the blackboard to illustrates something for their classmates.

To stand, they have to wait for everyone in class to leave before they can stand. Not just a few days in a month but everyday school day is fraught with fear and worry at embarrassing themselves.

You see, their uniforms in threads that barely covers the hides of their back. They are  tattered and torn beyond repair.

It is a challenge facing thousands if not tens of thousands of school going children in different parts of the country, especially those from the slums.

This sad state of affairs is  the reason behind Billian Okoth Ojiwa’s “Ficha Uchi” campaign that aims to restore the dignity of one pupil at a time.

NOBLE CAUSE

Ficha Uchi has in a very small time grown from a small band of well-wishers  to a ten member organization now touch 10,000 pupils across the country. The campaign has so far donated over 200 uniforms to pupils in two schools and is looking to touch over 10,000 pupils across the country.

Alongside Ojiwa, other founder members are Kevin Nyafwa, Douglas Ombiyu, John Seel Muragori, Aaditi Rajput, Zainab Adan, Tito Maveke, Joseph Allobey, Douglas Anyama, Dennis Odhiambo and Patrick Sampao.

The Ficha Uchi dream was born in February this year after Ojiwa received a phone call from a friend who had spotted some pupils with totally worn out school uniforms.

“We started of at Genesis Primary school located in Nairobi’s Mathare slums where 100 pupils benefited, after which we donated uniforms to 118 students in Huruma Primary school,” he explains.

“After convincing me I was able to visit the area and witness for myself,” he says.

But then his sympathy to help five students changed into a mission to clothe thousands of pupils in the country after discovering that there was an overwhelming need by so many others in the same predicament. The girls especially, with their bodies exposed, faced the danger of being raped on their way to and from school.

“After consulting with my fellow university students especially those from these areas, as well as my friend Professor Walter from The University of Texas in the U.S we decided to come up with the name “Ficha Uchi” meaning covering nakedness,” Ojiwa says.

BIGGER MISSION

The group usually visits a school at random to identify those most in need. They take their measurements and deliver the uniforms after a few days.

Ficha Uchi is funded from members and contributions from donors who give fabrics and other sewing materials after which they source for the services of tailors specifies by parents or schools who agree to stitch the uniforms at half their normal charges.

“We resorted to this arrangement due to the fact that we do not have enough funds to buy the uniforms straight from shops,” he adds.

Their next project by the name “Double Touch A kid” is intended to provide pupils with other important school supplies like books and shoes starting with Nairobi River and Ofafa Jericho primary schools in Eastlands.

They also plan to expand their mission not only to other parts of the Kenya but also to the neighbouring countries.